Pep Guardiola was announced at Manchester City amidst much fanfare and brouhaha with admirers and doubters in equal numbers. After an underwhelming season, by his standards, having failed to win any silverware for the first time in his career, the din surrounding the Catalan, sure of, his impending failure in the English Premier League sans Messi and the impregnability of Stoke on a cold rainy night, has only grown louder.
Manchester City got off to a blistering start last season with 10 wins on the trot. Then came the defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane and the title charge came unhinged pretty easily. Although City recovered to finish 3rd in an ultra-competitive league, the writing on the wall was clear.
Manchester City were superlative in patches last season. When on song the City team were a treat to watch, playing football that seemed decades ahead of the football on display in England. Attacks initiating from the back-line, followed by fluid passing sequences through the midfield on to the final third mesmerised English crowds, getting a taste of Cruyffian football, arguably from his greatest disciple.
Manchester City’s leaky defence proved to be their undoing in the last campaign. As a testament to Pep’s undying belief in his ideas and brand of football, the Catalan when asked, what lessons he has learned from his first season in England, the 46-year-old unabashedly said, “I have learned you have to score more goals. Basically that.”
Manchester City’s transfer activity rumoured and otherwise, point to Guardiola concentrating on the stopping goals from being scored side of the game as well.
The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has already identified the need to reinforce his full-back options with City hot on the heels of Benjamin Mendy, Dani Alves, Kyle Walker et al. The Catalan is also looking to bolster his centre-back options.
Let’s take a look at the options City could consider for the upcoming season.
Marquinhos
PSG’s 23-year old defender, hailing from Brazil would significantly strengthen Manchester City’s back line. Overly dependent on an ageing Vincent Kompany, the CB pairing of Marquinhos and John Stones could serve The Citizens for ages to come.
Adept at playing at right-back as well, the defender could offer much-needed versatility to a coach who is known to tinker with his team’s formation and shape a lot. The addition of the Brazilian would allow City to seamlessly switch between a back-three and a back-four. Marquinhos’ composure on the ball and ability to play precise short passes would aid Guardiola in encouraging his team to start attacks from the back.
Valued at upwards of £50m, the defender is unlikely to come cheap.
Aymeric Laporte
The 23-year-old Athletic Bilbao defender’s conception of defending is in sync with Pep Guardiola’s.
“My position’s most important evolution has been in the sense of being more than a defender. A big part of my game is to bring the ball out from the back. Defenders do this more than ever before”, said the France international in an interview.
“It’s all about arriving at perfection. I spend as much time in training and matches working on starting attacks as I do stopping them.”
Laporte even shares a mutual distaste of tackling with the City boss. Prima facie they look like a match made in heaven and he could prove to be the ideal Guardiola defender, playing as well as espousing the Catalan’s brand of football.
Inigo Martinez
The 26-year-old Real Sociedad defender could be on his way to City this season if reports from Marca are to be believed. The defender has a release clause of £26.5m with the likes of City, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan interested in securing the services of the player. Standing at 5’11”, the player’s stature could be a cause of concern in the Premier League. But the Spaniard’s magnificent vision and interception make him a very attractive proposition for City.
